41.   Commissioner Laurie Lewis said police were trying to disperse protesters who were blocking traffic in front of the Supreme Court.

42.   Crowds outside shouted independence slogans, drawing police who fired tear gas to disperse the protesters.

43.   Dozens of strikers and demonstrators tried to prevent the managers from leaving the building and police threw tear gas to disperse the protesters.

44.   Earlier in the day, police dispersed protesters with tear gas in isolated street clashes but a two-day national strike against economic reforms appeared to lose steam.

45.   Earlier Saturday, Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock criticized police for not intervening earlier to disperse protesters on Friday.

46.   Elsewhere in the capital, the streets were largely deserted after police used tear gas to disperse protesters.

47.   Eventually, protesters were dispersed without much incident.

48.   Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze insisted Monday that he would not dissolve parliament or forcibly disperse protesters who have been demanding his resignation.

49.   He asked police not to disperse the protesters.

50.   He said police dispersed the protesters with tear gas.